Thousands stranded in Clermont as taxi protest following impoundment of minibus taxis

Thousands of commuters in Clermont, west of Durban, were left stranded this morning after the local taxi association withdrew its fleet following the impoundment of 25 minibus taxis by the Durban Metro Police.

The Clermont KwaDabeka Taxi Owners Association announced the shutdown on Monday, issuing a notice to commuters that no taxis would be available today.

The move followed a police crackdown last week in the wake of violence linked to a turf war with e-hailing drivers.

The operation came a day after two e-hailing drivers were attacked near the Kranskloof Hostel, known as KK, in KwaDabeka. A stationary seven-seater vehicle, was shot at injuring two people.

The following morning, Metro Police impounded 25 taxis in Clermont for operating without valid permits.

Today's suspension of services left many workers stranded. Some residents walked the long distance to nearby industrial hub, New Germany to reach their workplaces, while others trekked to Pinetown in search of connecting transport to Durban, Westville and other areas.

The strike also affected school transport services with many operators informing parents that they would not be available, due to safety reasons.

For those forced to rely on e-hailing services, the high demand of the service, drove fares sharply higher, with the cost of a trip between Clermont and Pinetown spiking to between R211 and R250.

The taxi association has not indicated when services will resume, while Metro Police say the impounded vehicles will not be released until proper operating permits are produced.